HALIFAX Nova Scotia s premier says a rent increase cap put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic will stay in place as long as housing is scarce. I don t see an end to rent control right now, when we re looking at low availability of housing in the province right now, Iain Rankin said at Province House on Thursday. That comes after Rankin said the same thing, during his State of the Province address at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Wednesday. But the Premier also says rent control isn t the sole solution. Right now, we have an unhealthy mix of supply, Rankin said. We need to ensure that we re working with municipalities to approve developments (and) incentivize growth and supply, he added.
HALIFAX Self-isolation requirements in the Maritimes have created a new niche market for property rentals, with some renters offering two-week leases for visitors to the province who need to quarantine for 14 days. Some property owners say they can barely keep up with the demand. With a guest arriving in just a few hours, Wendy Hanlan does a final walk-through of her rental cottage in picturesque East Petpeswick, N.S. Construction on the property just wrapped up last fall, and the place has been in high demand since she started listing it online. While cottages are usually in high-demand for a weekend getaway, rental properties in the Maritimes are seeing a new type of clientele.